The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected President Donald Trump’s plan to add new restrictions to mail-in voting ahead of November’s midterm elections.
The justices upheld a lower court order blocking the U.S. Postal Service from putting the new rules in place. The decision is a setback for the Trump administration, but the case could return to the Supreme Court.
Trump signed an executive order in March directing the Postal Service to introduce new rules for handling mail-in ballots. His administration argued the changes would help prevent election fraud.
Opponents argued the rules could prevent some voters from receiving or returning their ballots on time. Election officials in 24 Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., warned that the changes could cause delays and confusion so close to the election.
Some Republican-led states, including Florida, Louisiana and Montana, supported Trump’s plan.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed with Monday’s ruling but said he could eventually support the administration’s position. He said applying the new rules to the 2026 elections could be unfair because of the timing.
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas disagreed with the decision.
The new rules would have included changes to ballot envelopes and required election officials to provide information about voters who receive mail-in ballots.
Some states have already started preparing or sending mail-in ballots for the November elections, which will determine control of Congress.
The Supreme Court also ruled in June that states may count ballots that were mailed by election day but arrive after polls close.
Trump has repeatedly made false claims that widespread fraud caused him to lose the 2020 presidential election.
